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The Bible Versus Baptist Buzz – Why I’m Making Some Changes On This Website

I’ve had some internal conflict the last few weeks about my blogging. This is nothing new, and I expect most Christians have struggled with the right use of this technology. Seeking a global audience has always strained my own pursuit of humility, and I’ve often questioned the best use of time.

Tonight, I’m under specific conviction from the Apostle Paul. I’ll just clip the verses that have caught my attention and leave you to draw your own conclusions.

2 Timothy 2:4 No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.

2 Timothy 2:16 But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness,

2 Timothy 2:23 Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels.

So, my conscious is captive to the Word of God. Until I can work out this issue I’ll try a little different format here on the site. I’m going to discontinue the Baptist Buzz feature and replace it with an new aggregator box called “SBC Watchlist.” That will be a collection of the most influential SBC blogs and news feeds (to my knowledge). This will also mean I won’t be scanning the feeds daily and will mean a reformat on the newsletter.

Pray for me to discern God’s direction in this and I do apologize to all the regular readers of Baptist Buzz.

Some controversies are fun, as long as we don’t take them or ourselves too seriously.

I think it does us good to remember than great conflicts in the blog world are hardly a blip in the totality of the ministry of the Southern Baptist Convention. We have always had politics and controversy. But the great news is all the incredible things God is doing in our churches, boards, agencies, missions, and seminaries.

I know there are times we must take a stand and fight for some issues. Much of that fighting, however, is needless and will soon be forgotten. The good work you are doing in your church ministry – that will last.
David R. Brumbelow

Just found your site, it is appreciated what you do. Thanks for taking your time and compiling all of this. Some of us struggle with the SBC and are not life timer cool aid drinkers of all things SBC. I have been in the SBC for ten years. From my experience it is a odd mixture of genuine devotion to God and a large unhealthy dose of Pharisee-ism. Every time I’m ready to slam the door on the SBC and say my good bye to it I discover another Christian in the SBC such as yourself who is trying to be honest before God and men. Thank you.

Paul Foltz,

Please tell all of us you are either a. kidding about the dead brother greeting or b. it was a typo. or c. Don’t follow dead by some appeal to KJVism as not offending the brothers. Perhaps we should all just quote the Greek Majority Text and all just use that and avoid the many translation errors in the KJV ? The brothers who don’t read Greek will just be out of luck and trust those of us who do. d. Any translation is going to be imperfect and tainted by the limitations of the translators but many SBCers trust that God can be found and indeed finds us outside of allegiance to a particular translation. e. I don’t know if anyone else including Tony has any annoyance with your post but the tone of your post hit a nerve because it drips with your own self-righteous judgments and not God’s righteousness judgments.

God,

Assuming you read and care about this blog, if I offended you anything I just said I am truly sorry.

Will,
I’m one of the big fans of the SBC, though I would not consider myself as having drunk the kool-aid. Previously I have given a list of reasons to stay in the SBC. I’ll add to that list as I hear other concerns against the SBC. No, I’m nobody official; just a small church pastor.

The SBC is far from perfect, just like you and I. But God is doing great things with it. Just check out bpnews.net on a regular basis. Attend a few state evangelism conferences. They have a good mix of the different type leaders in ministry in the convention. You’ll see the good, the bad, and the ugly. Just like you do in your own local church. But if you look closely with the right attitude, you’ll see God at work. By the way, a surprising number of non-SBC folk see things in which to compliment the SBC.

I agree with your position against the KJV Only issue. The biggest argument in favor of KJV Only is that if it is true I would not have had to take Greek and Hebrew :-). But be careful; the KJV folks are God’s people too. Beware, lest in accusing someone of being Pharisaical, you become Pharisaical yourself.

I pray you have a long and exciting ministry ahead of you. And I think you do.
David R. Brumbelow

Thank you for your response. I agree that some KJVers are God’s people too. I take to heart your warning. Most often the most blatant Pharisee I know is myself. Thankfully God has a good track record redeeming them and by his grace one such as myself (Acts 15:5).

Brother Will,
Thanks for your gracious response. Alas, Pharisaism is alive and well today. I see a little of it every time I look in the mirror.
You’re right, God can even redeem a Pharisee.
David R. Brumbelow

Tony,
May I recommend that you not place blogs that make a large number of posts all at once on the SBC Watchlist? It feels like every time I click on here I am confronted with 10 Baptist Press postings and not much else. Just a suggestion. Thanks.

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